Dear Friends,

Greetings in the Lord. We hope and pray you are well and the Lord is keeping you in perfect peace. For the past month, while on a mission among the Bedouins of the region, we have had the honor of journeying through the wilds of northwest Saudi Arabia to see the very sites mentioned in Exodus. Our travels to Mount Sinai and the surrounding locations have been a collision of past and present—a place where the stones themselves seem to cry out, “This happened. God was here.” In a world trembling with “wars and rumors of wars,” as prophecy and present events intertwine, the urgency to proclaim the gospel has never been greater. Each site we visited is not just a relic, but a living testimony—Evidence that the God of the Bible is real and His Word is true. We thank each of you for your faithful prayers and support as we bring the gospel to this region. The work is not without its challenges—sharing the gospel openly in these territories requires wisdom and divine protection. Yet the harvest is ready, and souls are waiting to hear the Good News. Please pray for more open doors, receptive hearts, and safety as we continue this vital mission. The same God who parted the Red Sea and descended upon Sinai in fire is with us still, and nothing is impossible for Him.

Evidence: Tracing the Exodus in Saudi Arabia

In recent decades, the landscape of biblical archaeology has shifted in remarkable ways. Over the last thirty years, a surge of discovery has brought new light to the ancient stories of the Exodus, pointing with increasing clarity to the rugged mountains and valleys of northwest Saudi Arabia as the true backdrop of these events. Much of this renewed attention began with the archaeological journeys of Ron Wyatt in the 1970s and 80s, who, following in the footsteps of Charles Beke, John Philby, and Alois Musil, suggested Arabia as the real site of the Exodus. Through Wyatt’s expeditions, sites such as Jabal Maqla and the region of ancient Midian—now known as Al Bad’a and its surroundings—have come into focus as the likely locations of the Red Sea crossing, the mountain of God, and the wilderness wanderings. What once seemed lost to history is now being revealed, stone by stone, spring by spring, altar by altar. The evidence is mounting, and it is compelling. Even the Apostle Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, anchors this truth for us: “Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia...” (Galatians 4:25). With this scriptural foundation and a growing consensus among explorers and scholars, we step forward to recount our journey—site by site—through the land where the echoes of Exodus still ring, and where God’s faithfulness is etched into the very earth.

A Journey Through the Desert

Arriving in northern Saudi Arabia after traveling from Jeddah and Al Ula, we knew this would be an incredible journey. Basing ourselves in Al Bad'a, we set out at dawn each day, the desert already shimmering with the promise of relentless heat. For weeks, we drove our 4x4 across the vastness of northwest Saudi Arabia, seeking the very places where the Exodus unfolded. Each day, the thermometer climbed past 100 degrees, the distant land waving in a haze. We were alone at every site—no crowds, no guides, only the wind and the weight of history.

The Red Sea Crossing: The Threshold of Deliverance

Our journey began at the edge of the sea, where tradition and a growing body of evidence point to the Gulf of Aqaba as the crossing site. Here, Moses stretched out his hand, and the waters parted for Israel's escape:

"Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left." — Exodus 14:21-22

Standing on these shores across from Nuweiba Beach in Egypt, with the desert behind and the sea before us, we felt the magnitude of what God accomplished—His power not just to deliver, but to make a way where none existed.

Jethro's Cave and the Wells of Moses: Refuge and Preparation

Staying in Al Bad'a, the ancient land of Midian, the history of this small oasis came alive. This is where Moses fled after killing the Egyptian, where he drew water for Jethro's flocks and found a new beginning:

"Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian, and he sat down by a well." — Exodus 2:15

The well remains, its stones smoothed by centuries of hands, a silent witness to God's preparation in obscurity.

The Split Rock of Horeb: Water from the Impossible

Driving deeper into the wilderness, we reached the Split Rock of Horeb—a colossal stone, cleft down the middle and towering above the plain. Local tradition and physical evidence suggest that water once gushed from its depths, enough to sustain a multitude:

"Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." — Exodus 17:6

Climbing the giant split rock and investigating the area, we saw not only the riverbeds flowing from it, but also evidence of the altar (Jehovah-Nissi—The Lord is my Banner) Moses set up after the Israelites defeated the Amalekites.

The Altar of the Golden Calf: Warnings Etched in Stone

Near the base of Mount Sinai, a fenced-off section that appears as a natural platform displays petroglyphs of Egyptian-style bulls. These petroglyphs and others like them are found on multiple platforms around the area at the base of the mountain. Interestingly, these types of petroglyphs are only found in this area within sight of Mount Sinai and strongly suggest an important event took place involving Egyptian-styled deities.

"He received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!' When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it and made proclamation and said, 'Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.' And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." — Exodus 32:4-6

In the silence, the stones themselves seem to display some of the most compelling evidence of all in the shadow of Mount Sinai.

Petroglyph of Golden Calf at base of Mt. Sinai

The Altar of Moses: Foundations of Worship

At the base of the mountain, we stood among the stones believed to be the altar Moses built after receiving the law. Twelve pillars—one for each tribe—once stood here, marking the covenant between God and His people:

"And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel." — Exodus 24:4

Elijah's Cave: Shelter in the Storm

As we began our ascent of Sinai, the path grew steeper and the silence more profound. Near the top of the first mount section, we came upon Elijah's Cave—a small, solitary cave on the mountainside. Here, long after the events of Exodus, the prophet hid, weary and pursued, and heard the gentle whisper of God:

"And there he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" — 1 Kings 19:9

In that quiet place, we were reminded that even in the most desolate moments, God is near.

Burnt rocks near Summit of Mt Sinai, Elijah’s Cave, Summit View, Plateau of Elders looking up to Summit

The Plateau of the Elders: Heaven Touches Earth

Higher still, we reached the plateau where Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders beheld God and shared a meal in His presence:

"Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, and they saw the God of Israel. There was under his feet as it were a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness." — Exodus 24:9-10

Here, the boundary between heaven and earth seemed to blur for them in that moment—a foretaste of the fellowship to come.

The Burnt Summit of Mount Sinai (Jabal Maqla): The Place Where God Descended

At last, after many hours of climbing in the blazing sun, we stood on the summit of Mount Sinai. The rocks near the summit are scorched black, giving the unmistakable appearance that something burned the peak. Local tradition, Biblical references, and the growing body of evidence all point to this place as the true Mount Sinai—the mountain that trembled at the voice of God:

"Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly." — Exodus 19:18

To reach the summit was to step into Moses' footsteps, imagining what he must have beheld in that sacred moment. Below, the fear and awe that would have gripped the Israelites as thunder and flame crowned the peak must have been terrifying to witness.

But the story isn't finished there.

Gazing across the endless expanse of desert where God once thundered His law to the Israelites, we were struck by a profound truth: these ancient stones don't just testify to what God has done—they compel us toward what He commands us to do. The same God who split the sea, provided water from the rock, and descended in fire upon Sinai has given us the Great Commission to, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." — Mark 16:15.

Even here, in this very wilderness where the Exodus unfolded, there are Bedouins whose tents dot the landscape—men and women who have never heard the truth of Jesus. The irony is striking: we stand surrounded by the evidence of God's mighty works, yet souls remain unreached just beyond the next ridge. This is the church's calling—not merely to marvel at archaeological wonders, but to be moved by them to action. The God who delivered Israel from bondage now calls us to be vessels of light to those who are still under the bondage of sin. The same power that parted the Red Sea can open hearts to receive the gospel.

At Travel the Road, our hearts burn for the urgency of the mission. The evidence we've witnessed—every split rock, every altar stone, every blackened summit—serves as a divine summons to press forward with the gospel. If God did all this for His people then, what will He not do through His people now? These ancient testimonies of His faithfulness compel us to continue reaching the unreached, from the Bedouins of the Arabian desert to every corner of the earth. We are deeply grateful for each of you who faithfully pray and support these Gospel Expeditions. Your partnership enables us to venture into these remote and often challenging territories, sharing the unchanging truth of Christ in places where His name has rarely been heard. As we prepare for more missions in the region and continue documenting these powerful stories, we’ll need your continued support—both in prayer and finances. Together, we can carry the gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation, knowing that the same God who moved mountains will move the hearts of those who hear His Word. The best is truly yet to come. Peace be with you.

In Him,
Tim and Will

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